Super Bowl champion Patriots eye repeat performance
As this season gets started in Foxborough tonight, question marks surface everywhere. There’s Ezekiel Elliott’s availability, short term and beyond, though he will play Sunday. There’s the malaise that often plagues Super Bowl-losing teams that the Falcons must fight.
How much does Adrian Peterson have to offer the Saints (we think plenty)? Can Tom Coughlin, from the front office rather than the sideline, make much difference in Jacksonville?
And what in the name of Weeb Ewbank are the Jets doing?
More certainty comes out of Massachusetts, where some folks are expecting the Patriots to challenge the team’s 2007 edition that swept through the regular season and AFC playoffs before losing in the Super Bowl to the Giants. High expectations, for sure, but we have learned that betting against Tom Brady and Co. is ill-advised.
Especially coming off another title.
“I mean, this team has thought about the 2017 season,” Brady says. “That [championship] was great. We celebrated and had a great time, but I mean, this team has to earn its own. Everything we get we’re going to have to earn.
“Every team starts at the same place. It’s a challenging season . ... It’s going to take a lot of good football to get where we need to be.”
The Patriots, ranked first in the AP Pro32 poll for the opening week, are eight-point favourites to get 2017 off to a rocking start. They figure to roll past the No. 7 Chiefs, although look for Kansas City to get better as the schedule progresses if it stays healthy. PATRIOTS, 28-17 ARIZONA (minus 1 1⁄ 2 )
at DETROIT We must be missing something here because we think Lions should be favoured. LIONS, 26-21 ATLANTA (minus 7) at CHICAGO No matter how much Super Bowl hangover Falcons have, they should handle dreadful Bears. FALCONS, 30-14 SEATTLE (plus 3) at GREEN BAY Look for these two to meet up in January, too. SEAHAWKS, 24-23 JACKSONVILLE (plus 5 1⁄ 2 )
at HOUSTON Houston strong. TEXANS, 20-10 OAKLAND (plus 2)
at TENNESSEE We like both teams to make the post-season. RAIDERS, 27-24 N.Y GIANTS (plus 3 1⁄2 ) at DALLAS Zeke will play, OBJ might not. We still like the Giants. GIANTS, 28-27 PHILADELPHIA (pick-em) at WASHINGTON Eagles could be surprise team this season, though they appear a year away from contention. EAGLES, 23-20 BALTIMORE (plus 3) at CINCINNATI Few teams were damaged in preseason like the Ravens. BENGALS, 21-20 PITTSBURGH (minus 9) at CLEVELAND Browns are better than in 2016. So are Steelers, on a different level. STEELERS, 26-20 INDIANAPOLIS (plus 3) at L.A. RAMS Colts are plain out of Luck. RAMS, 14-13 CAROLINA (minus 5 1⁄ 2 ) at SAN FRANCISCO Panthers have a lot to prove, can’t stumble here. PANTHERS, 27-24 N.Y. JETS (plus 7 1⁄ 2 ) at BUFFALO Jets might just cover because Bills have weak offence aside from LeSean McCoy. Nah. BILLS, 14-3 MONDAY NIGHT NEW ORLEANS (plus 3 1⁄ 2 ) at MINNESOTA Welcome back, Adrian. Now run wild. SAINTS, 23-21 L.A. CHARGERS (plus 3 1⁄ 2 ) at DENVER Chargers have better QB and RB. Beyond that, a mismatch. BRONCOS, 20-13 ——— 2016 RECORD: Season Totals: Against spread (130-126-8). Straight up: (166-99-2)